Simple ways to practice mindfulness amid the noise, movement, and demands of everyday life.
Somewhere between the noise of our daily lives there are moments in which we wish we could slow down. There is an ancient word for the thing we seem to be missing: sati.
Sati originally meant “memory” or “recollection,” but Buddhist teachings embraced and adapted the word to describe being fully present in the moment, wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, without judgment.
The word might be ancient, but the idea it addresses feels surprisingly modern.
We all know the feeling of being somewhere physically while our minds are three hours ahead – or three years behind. We are always moving from one thing to the next: from the first morning alarm to the final notification before we put our phones away for the night, we are answering emails, commuting, eating lunch at our desks, scrolling, and filling the silence before we’ve even noticed it’s there.
We assume peace can only come when we have more than an hour to find it, but what if peace doesn’t require an escape?
It’s a myth that peace and mindfulness can only happen in yoga studios, in silence, or when we are alone. Mindfulness doesn’t require recreating a monastery in our living rooms. It can be found by creating small islands of peace throughout your day.
For those who have tried and failed at being mindful (I include myself in this), you might chalk it up to being a massively anxious over-thinker who can’t turn your mind off, no matter how hard you try.
In the many yoga classes I’ve taken, the minute I’m told to “clear my mind” I start thinking about cows. Don’t ask me why because I have no logical answer for you.
My humble advice for those who have attempted but struck out, who want to try but don’t know where to begin, who need moments of peace but don’t have the time to escape your environment: start small. Breathe.
Breathing is a unique autonomic function because it happens on its own, but we can control it if we choose; we can change the speed, the depth, and the rhythm at any time.
To breathe mindfully means being aware of your breath, as well as any physical sensations and thoughts that arise. When you notice a physical sensation or a passing thought, your instinct might be to push it away. The point isn’t to aggressively shove it down. Instead, simply notice it and let it go. Imagine the mind as a clenched fist – you don’t want to grip tighter to keep thoughts out; you want to relax the hand so they can simply float away.
Mindful Breathing
Relax your body. Tune into your breath – notice how it feels when the air moves through your nose, feel the rise of your belly (maybe you’ve placed a hand on your stomach or chest), and let your body breathe at its own pace. Being mindful of your breath doesn’t mean controlling it. It simply means becoming conscious of it – are your breaths shallow or deep? Do you feel your stomach expanding, your ribs, your back?
When your mind starts to somersault through errands, meetings, that one thing you forgot to add to your grocery list, or that time you fell in front of your crush five years ago, notice the thought passing through, and let it go.
You don’t need to carve out 20 minutes for this. Once you know what mindful breathing feels like, you can take it with you. Don’t believe me?
Places you can breathe:
- On the train
- Waiting in line
- In an elevator
- Before opening an email
- At your desk
- Walking through a crowded street
- In the grocery store parking lot
Maybe you’ve gotten the hang of mindful breathing, or maybe you’re looking for other ways to incorporate moments of calm in your hectic schedule. The truth is you’re probably already practicing some of them without realizing it.
When you go for a walk, walk attentively.
Notice the rhythm of your footsteps and your natural breathing pattern. Notice your feet touching the ground with every stride. Notice the trees, a patch of flowers, the birds, the warmth of the sun on your face.
When you have meals, stop chewing your worries.
We sometimes go through meals in a haze, thinking about the day while simultaneously planning for tomorrow. We eat without paying attention to the food, the flavor, or even our chewing. Next time you’re on your lunch break or sitting down for dinner, notice the rhythm at which you eat – do you pick up the fork for another bite before you’ve even finished chewing? Try taking a few deep breaths before touching your food and savor each bite completely before swallowing.
In traffic, red means STOP and breathe.
Use every red light as a cue to take three breaths. Release the death grip you might have on the wheel and relax your shoulders. Perhaps you use the first five minutes of your drive as a transition period, noticing your body and surroundings rather than immediately reaching for your phone or starting your mental to-do list.
At the office, take micro-meditations.
Every time you enter a new room, take one breath at the door and leave the last task behind. Before opening a new browser or starting a new project, close your eyes, and breathe for 10 seconds. Let yourself reset with each transition.
Create digital boundaries.
Raise a hand if you share a bed with your phone. If you’re not ready to banish it to the couch, start smaller. Dedicate the first 20 minutes of your morning and the last 20 minutes of your night to being screen-free. When your phone rings, use it as a cue to take one deep inhale and exhale before answering – this might be especially helpful if it’s your partner calling from the grocery store for the fifth time because he can’t find the organic eggplant.
I am not a monk, so I cannot offer you the spiritual guidance of one, nor can I tell you being mindful is easy. I too am guilty of letting my schedule get away from me, having 55 unread text messages, and a mind that spins like a hamster wheel. I want to juggle a hundred things with zero acrobatic experience and will think to myself there’s just not enough time in the day!
I try to remember that peace doesn’t require me to escape the noise of my day. I can create moments of quiet while the noise is still there.
I tell myself to take deep breaths. Some days I need someone else to prompt me. I walk when I can. From time to time, I’ll quietly name what I’m feeling during extremely stressful moments – I’m anxious right now. It feels like my chest is vibrating. I don’t know where it’s coming from, but I’m acknowledging it. All of these are small ways we can bring ourselves back into the present moment.
The world may not slow down for us. We can, though, even if only for a moment. A breath before answering the phone. A pause between meetings. A quiet sip of coffee before the day begins.
Mindfulness doesn’t ask us to escape the chaos, but to remember that we’re here, living in the middle of it.